Influence of Temperature and Humidity on Microbial, Enzymatic, and Physical Changes of Stored, Pickling Cucumbers1

Abstract

Pickling cucumbers stored at five temperatures and four relative humidities were examined for growth of eight microbial groups, the activities of two enzyme systems (pectinolytic and cellulolytic), and weight loss. Twenty-four storage tests for 6 days each were conducted during the 2-year study. In general, microbial populations of the eight groups increased rapidly at the higher temperature (>21 C) and humidity (>70%) treatments. Moisture loss of the cucumbers was rapid with combinations of high temperatures and low humidities. The results suggest that the best environmental conditions for storage or transport of cucumbers would be a combination of low temperature (10 C) with high relative humidity (about 95%). These conditions minimized undesirable microbial, enzymatic, and physical changes of stored, pickling cucumbers.

Molds in Brined Cucumbers: Cause of Softening During Air-Purging of Fermentations

“…Storage of fresh cucumbers at high relative humidities and temperatures results in a rapid increase in both pectinolytic and cellulolytic enzyme activities and in the total populations of many microbial groups, including molds in washings and in blended samples of cucumbers (6). Blending of cucumber samples resulted in the detection of much higher levels of enzymatic activity and higher populations of microbes than were found in washings of the samples.…”

Influence of Growing Environment and Storage Duration on Quality of Fresh‐pack Cucumber Pickles3

“…Numerous reports summarize the influence of storage environment on cucumber pickling quality, considering such factors as temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric composition, harvesting and handling methods, holding time and cultivar. Various optimum holding temperatures, ranging from 1 to 12OC, are cited in the literature (Cook et al 1957;Etchells et al 1973;Fellers and Pflug 1967), although the reasons for this are not always clear. All agree that storage life is reduced by yellowing and softening at temperatures higher than the optimum, and by chilling injury at temperatvnes below the optimum.…”